She’s no longer the eight-year-old chubby girl prancing around the set of ABS-CBN’s Goin’ Bulilit or hiding mischievously from dear mom after each taping had been wrapped ahead of schedule for some play time with kiddie co-stars.
Time certainly flies fast. Miles Ocampo has blossomed into a 15-year-old lass who remains bubbly yet more responsible with her every deed and decision as young televiewers her age deem her as a role model.
“I was part of Goin’ Bulilit for four years,” Miles begins. “I miss all the wacky things we were doing on the set and the kind of bonding we had. Many thought we will forever be boxed in kiddie roles.”
But things change and so are the roles Miles and the other kiddie gag show graduates CJ Navato and Igi Boy Flores have to portray. They now play lead in the Kapamilya youth-oriented show Luv U. It airs Sundays after ASAP 2012.
Mixed feelings, Miles admits, enveloped her when she was tapped to play Camille Sarmiento. “Nandun ‘yung kaba, takot at excitement but after thinking that not everyone is given the opportunity to do it, I took it as a challenge. I’m happy that I was able to adjust to my new role probably because I always make it a point to put my heart in everything that I do.”
Besides, Miles need not look far and wide to perfectly fit into her role as a typical teenager who enjoys high school life — school work, friends, gimik and ah, young love. “I can totally relate to Camille because we are similar in some ways like being bubbly, optimist and friendly, at tsaka po kiligin (laughs),” says Miles who is in her senior year in high school at the School of St. Anthony.
But Miles is quick to add that feeling kilig doesn’t always pertain to matters of the heart. Love, she explains, can serve as an inspiration but “falling in love at a young age is a distraction; pwede lang ‘yung mga kilig-kilig. I focus more on my career and studies.”
When asked who among the young cast, that also includes Kiray Celis, Marc Gumabao, Alfred Labatos, Vanjo Cuenca, Angeli Gonzales, Arie Reyes and Rhap Salazar, is closest to her, Miles replies, “I’m closest to Igi Boy because we’re already friends even before Goin’ Bulilit days but in Luv U barkada kaming lahat. There’s no dull moment on the set. We eat together and laugh at each other’s jokes during break.”
In fact, Miles declares, Rhap is uploading on YouTube some videos showing their “craziness” on the set. “’Dun nila makikita kung gaano kami kakulit.” And at the same time, the videos prove that no competition is going on among them.
“Each of our character is essential to the show that’s why I see no reason for us to compete. Aside from our ever dependable staff, we help each other in making the show much appealing to viewers. Super friends kami.”
Given a chance, Miles hopes to play bida-kontrabida in future projects which brings to mind the dual roles Andi Eigenmann portrayed in the soap Agua Bendita or the Kimmy and Dora characters Eugene Domingo did in the Star Cinema-Spring Films’ latest movie offering Kimmy Dora and the Temple of Kyeme.
“But when it comes to acting, I really admire Bea Alonzo for being so passionate and so down to earth.”
As a teenaged actress, how will she inspire televiewers particularly those her age?
“Simply by just being me. No pretensions whatsoever, ‘yung totoo ka lang po kasi mas lalo kang mamahalin ng tao kung totoo ka.”
Below, find out how Miles tries to be true to her commitments as an actress and a student as she shares her activities from morning ‘til night:
5:15 a.m. — I wake up and roll out of bed.
5:15 to 5:30 a.m. — I take my breakfast.
5:30 to 6:10 a.m. — I start preparing for school (this includes taking a bath and dressing up).
6:10 a.m. — My school service arrives and I head straight to school.
6:30 a.m. — I’m in school.
7 a.m. — I attend the morning assembly.
7:10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. — School mode.
4 p.m. – I’m back in the house from school.
4:10 to 4:30 p.m. — I take a rest and then have some merienda.
4:30 to 7 p.m. — I do my school work.
7 to 7:30 p.m. — I take a break then dinner time.
7:30 to 11:30 p.m. — Go back to my school work. Sometimes, I finish at around 12 midnight that’s why tulog na agad ako. I can only watch TV if I get everything done by 10 p.m. I adjust my schedule during taping days.